Bottle-thanks to one of my great friends (not a ratebeer guy) for trading me this amazing brew. pours pitch black with huge viscus legs and a nice tan somewhat fizzy head for the style. Nose is all char, dark chocolate, anise, lite "young-ness" to it and i dont mean that in a green way. flavors exhibit heaps of dark choolate, char, roast, anise, vanilla, lite smoke, it has it all for sure. My only gripe with this one is that it maybe a tad on the hot side, but again, its a young beer, It is 12% for this year, which is a huge jump at least according to the previous years listed for this brew. Gives it a little tingle on the finish after the massive flavors have settled away. Well, this would be an insane beer to have on some type of barrel. I am sort of over the barrel thing but for this beer, it would work so well. "fingers crossed" Surly makes a barrel aged version of this.

Bomber into snifter. Medium lacing. Aroma of licorice and chocolate and tastes of those as well. Very smooth. A bit of raisin in the finish and then cherry as it warms. No hint of the 12% at all. Lives up to the hype.

2012 Bottle from my 2014 Secret Santa, finally opened at a share. Pours black, with a quick, bubbly, beige head. The nose is striking and assertive. Milk chocolate, maple syrup, basil, caramel, bread, and vanilla. Very sweet flavor, with a relatively heavy bitterness, making it startlingly balanced. Very heavy body, with a smooth, effervescent, sharp, and thick mouthfeel. This is an amazingly well done stout. Tons of character, and great balance. The years seem to have been very friendly.

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